Mother throws newborn in Kolkata canal

Kolkata, Dec 17 (IANS) A 32-year-old woman allegedly threw her illegitimate newborn in a canal here Wednesday, the police said. The baby, though rescued in time, died later in the day.The incident took place at Chaulpatti area of Beliaghata in north-eastern Kolkata.

“Jaya Sardar, threw her newborn in Beliaghata canal Wednesday morning. But the baby, instead of falling into the water, got caught in the garbage dumped beside the canal. One of her neighbours noticed her action and rushed to the baby’s rescue. But the baby died later in the afternoon,” M.C. Mondal, an official at the Beliaghata police station told reporters.

Mondal said Sardar was having an extra-marital affair with one Palash Sarkar, a resident of the neighbouring Barasat town, for the past one and a half years.

“Sardar’s husband abandoned her and their five-year-old daughter, and married another woman two years ago.”

“Sardar gave birth to Sarkar’s son around 1 a.m. Wednesday. She threw the baby into the canal in the morning,” Mondal said.